College? I’m not ready for

college!

Mary Beth ButtweilerCindy Cutts

Week 2 – October 1st Be Prepared! Common Aps & how they work SAT & ACT Activities, service, awards, employment,

Does it matter and how much? How maximize your personal history The college essay High school resume Letters of recommendation Financial Aid Scholarships

How to find them How to win them

How could a college not want me?

A better question

Why do I want to attend college?

What is the goal?

Fit the education to the goal Fit the college to the education goal Fit the student to the college

Where will the student thrive and succeed?

It’s more important to get out of college than to get into it

How many schools?

Reach School

Confident School

Safety School

In today’s competitive college applicant pool, confirm your back up plan.

Take advantage of on-the-spot admission or service area options.

Public or Private?In State or Out of State?

Cost is not definite

Federal and State aid

Institutional aid

Western Undergraduate Exchange WUE

Recruiting Incentives

Prestigious Schools

Highly ranked schools are extremely competitive.

Be realistic when setting college goals.

Compare your profile to the profile of the current freshman class

Everyone needs a backup plan. The UC is NOT a backup plan.

Is this a good fit for me? How competitive am I when I apply? How will I reach my goals here? What if I change my major? Do I fit in here? Does the climate matter to me? What will I do if I need someone from

home? Will the area distract me from studying? Will I find internships here? How hard will I have to work to achieve

my degree here?

Choosing a College

First – visit the website – Can you meet your goals here? Talk to reps at college fairs Visit the campus to explore and ask questions Take a guided tour Then take your own tour Students need to spend at least 30 minutes alone to

“breathe the air of a campus.”

Common AppUSED BY OVER 800 COLLEGES

SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION OFTEN REQUIRED

NAVIANCE – TRANSCRIPT, COUNSELOR, TEACHER

FOLLOW UP ON ALL OF THE STEPS

ASSUME NOTHING

OPENS JULY 1 – DEADLINES DETERMINED BY INDIVIDUAL COLLEGES

SAT & ACT MUST BE SENT TO SCHOOLS INDIVIDUALLY

University of California

Common Ap for all 9 UC campuses

2 Essays – which go to all campuses

SAT or ACT – goes to all campuses Campus specific majors

Majors

Colleges

Scholarships

Opens August 1 – Closes November 30

CSU Mentor

23 Campuses

Minimal Data Required

ACT - to one CSU and it goes to all

SAT - Use CSU Mentor Code 3594

Opens October 1

Closes November 30

Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success

Online alternative to Common App

52 private and 31 public schools. More to come.

Ivy League, Stanford, Duke, other highly selective liberal arts colleges and research universities, and public flagship campuses in states such as Florida, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia.

Similar component to pre-app options such as CSU Mentor or Naviance

So what stuff do I need to be a competitive applicant?

Supporting evidence that you can succeed at college

GPA

Test Scores

Activities (Leadership)

Community Service & Employment

Recommendations

Essay or Personal Statement

Resume’

Portfolio (for some majors)

SAT & ACT

Fall or winter junior year

Spring junior year

Improvement options fall dates of senior year

December is the final date for seniors

Some schools take only October or November senior year scores.

ACT

Subject area exam Maximum score 36

Reading Math Science Social Studies Writing

SAT New SAT begins in March

Juniors can take both “old” and “new” test

Current SAT is Logic & Reasoning

New SAT is “Relevant to classroom curriculum”

SAT Subject Exams

Take them at the end of the course Sophomores & Juniors in Spring

Take them in subjects relative to your major

Take them in subjects that you know well

SAT or ACT?

All colleges use either exam if ACT includes optional Writing exam

All colleges use the higher of the two

Some colleges power score the SAT while very few schools power score the ACT

Take BOTH - twice

The College Essay orPersonal Statement(s)

Purpose - This is your opportunity to tell about yourself -- your hopes, ambitions, life experiences, inspirations.

This is NOT an essay – this is your interview with the university!

Reveal something NEW about you

Paint a picture to explain things

Give your application a theme

Depth

Clarity

Be specific

Set yourself apart with your passions

Admissions Use

Admissions officials are friendly professionals who are looking for ways to admit you.

Provide them with details to help them connect the application to you as a person.

They already know how great their school is – don’t waste your words.

Pick a prompt

ANSWER IT! Frequently students write eloquent essays that do

not reveal new information or provide depth or clarity to the application.

Answer the prompt in one sentence –

“dress it up” into an essay.

Show, Don’t tell

Take the reader to the scene, event, experience, accomplishment or place where you can demonstrate your personal quality, talent or accomplishment

Write to create and share the emotions of your passion

Be succinct

Reveal new qualities about yourself not already evident on your “lists” on the application

Tips

Write in your voice Show - don’t tell as you write Be sincere Write as if this is a college paper (it is) No fluff. Every sentence should have

meaning and provide information germane to the topic (you).

Use active verbs, and adjectives that create emotion

Confirm the theme of your application

Caution to Parents

Do not write your student’s essay.

College admissions personnel read thousands of essays each year. They can spot a parent-written essay within the first paragraph.

You might sabotage the application

Continue in a new Presentation Part 2